


My Son, My Son

by DixieDale



Series: Unexpected Encounters [5]
Category: Clan O'Donnell - Fandom, Garrison's Gorillas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-09 04:57:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20504594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DixieDale/pseuds/DixieDale
Summary: When Actor discovers he has a son, he's looking for a way to make amends for the past.   Unfortunately, all the young man is looking for is his next lucrative con, and he intends to make it a big one - conning the master himself, Actor.





	My Son, My Son

Actor stopped in his tracks, staring into the elegant mirror hung on the side wall. {"A double reflection brought on by weariness??"}. But not, a double reflection would not have shown him a man nearing forty - himself -, and the second a man, himself, but perhaps half that in age! Turning, looking at the young man checking in at the registery counter at Marchants, he knew tiredness could not account for this encounter. {"Me! Much younger, but still, me, in every detail, at least as far as I can recall."} 

Their eyes met in the mirror and Actor froze, waiting for the other man to see what HE had seen. A look of recognition, then a growing eagerness and wonder filled the twenty-ish-year-old's face. A nervous licking of those expressive lips, then a hesitant approach.

"Excuse me, sir, would your name be Mantoni? I mean no offense, but did you once know a woman by the name of Anastasia Romano?"

And the years dropped away, and the vision of a woman flooded his mind, and he felt - ah, he wasn't sure WHAT he felt.

*Anastasia! Ah, the memories that brought back! She had been in the same line as him, a con artist, though more advanced, more sure in her line than he was in his. Well, she had been a few years older than his barely nineteen. They had met in Genoa, and while they had become friendly, he couldn't truly say they had been friends. They met occasionally for dinner or to share a bottle of wine, to talk over the 'game' and how it was played, various approaches. 

Then, she had become involved in one of the larger games, and their time had come to an end. She had won her game, had become the loving wife of Comte Silvio Cremasco, and he had neither word nor sight of her for at least a year. 

Then, out of the blue, she had contacted him, suggested they meet. Somehow that meeting changed things between them, them becoming physically involved for the first time, though certainly not the last. And then, not five months later, she had broken off contact, told him she didn't want her husband to become suspicious, that there was simply too much at stake to risk it for mere physical gratification. 

He remembered he'd been a little hurt, having thought their interlude had been somewhat more than that. Still, he accommodated her, as any gentleman would, and took his self and his game to Portugal for awhile, and then onwards. 

It had been many years before he had returned to Genoa, and although he'd very casually asked of her and her family, learned she and the Comte had a son, he'd never caught sight of her OR her son. 

{"Ah, if I had, I would have known, surely!"} he lamented to himself, but in truth, what would he have done if he HAD known?? If she had wanted him to know, she would have tracked him down; she had a positive talent for that.

Now he looked into the so familiar eyes of a son he never knew he had, and reached eagerly for the hand being extended so hesitantly toward him.

"Yes, most assuredly. Come, we will find a quiet place, have a glass of wine and talk. We have much to discuss!"

Actor wasn't sure what he had been expecting, perhaps a younger version of himself, but Jorge wasn't that, and Actor was grateful. The young man was intelligent, certainly, but as he told it, his youthful years had been much more as befitted one of aristo blood. An indulgent and proud father, a doting and attentive mother, a secure life - all Actor had not had the benefit of, and could not have been able to give his son if he HAD known about him.

There was a slight hesitation, a quick grimace, as Jorge took another sip of wine. "Now, of course, it is different. Father . . . I mean, the Comte . . ." giving Actor a look showing his confusion of how to distinguish the two in the conversation without causing hurt feelings or resentment. 

{"Ah, he is so very young, so much younger than I was at anywhere NEAR his age!"}

Actor waved away that awkward moment, "no, he WAS your father, to all intents and purposes; do not hesitate to call him that," getting a shy smile of thanks from the young man.

"As I was saying, Father died after taking a chill; he was no longer a young man, of course. We managed well enough until the war, and then . . ."

"And then?" Actor encouraged him when it seemed the words had dried up.

"The estate was taken, and we were forced to leave. We went to Portugal where my father had a cousin who gave us shelter."

There was a deep sigh, "but that cannot continue, of course. Oh, we are not alone - I have two friends who left with us; their estates had been seized as well, the rest of their family fled. We had been attending University together, me, Luis and Diego; we left at once when we heard the word of the army approaching, gathered in Mother, along with Diego's sister, Marie, as they had wanted to wait for us and not leave with the others.

Jorge's smile returned, "Marie and I, we are now married, and we soon will have a child. I have been most blessed."

His gaze became dark again, "but now . . ."

Actor poured them each another half glass of wine, "now??"

"Now father's cousin is thinking of remarrying, and I do not think his new wife will think kindly upon us continuing to stay there. We are at his country house, true, which he rarely used, but his Cristada, she has family of her own that she would like to see settled there. There is easily room for either, but not for both, not comfortably. 

"Soon I will be able to arrange for a place for us, hopefully. Luis and Diego would continue with us, and also Mickey, who has been a friend since the start of our days there. 

"It would not necessarily be forever, of course, but for now, it would be manageable and beneficial to us all. Mother is fond of all of them, loves my Marie as well. Yes, we will surely find such a place."

Somethow his face didn't seem so hopeful, more tending toward despair.

"And there is an impediment to this?" Actor urged.

Jorge avoided his eyes, took another sip of wine, tried to turn the conversation to Actor and his current doings.

Actor refused to be deflected, urged once again. "And the impediment?"

Jorge flushed, "nothing that need concern you, sir. I am sure we will be able to turn things about. I have one more term at University, as do my friends, although we have postponed returning til the next term. There is a man here in London, an acquaintance of my father's, who has offered us a few months employment with the promise of enough in return that all will be possible. He has given an advance, enough that one of us will return to Portugal and obtain a respectable place for all of us, see that Mother and Marie are settled. Then, after those few months with the gentleman, we will be able to return to the University, finish, and then we have assurances of good positions in Portugal, for the gentleman has business dealings there as well."

He shrugged, "so it will not be as it was in my Father's day, with the estate and many servants and such, but it will still be a good life, a safe one for Mother and my Marie and our child."

Actor drew him out just a bit more, including getting the name of that 'man in London' who was offering them employment, then they parted ways, each reasonably content with their evening and the promise of another meeting, another quiet time of getting to know each other, father and son.

Actor was quick to contact his numerous resources in obtaining what additional information he felt he required. None was to his liking.

However Jorge had protested that he and his family's predicament was nothing Actor should be concerned about, he could hardly HELP but be concerned. Even BEFORE he discovered that 'man in London' was known for running a stable of very attractive and very personable young men, training them to satisfy the desires of both men and women of the most well positioned. The pay was said to be quite good, only a few accepted into his ranks, but it was hardly what Actor would have wanted for his son. Indeed, he was horrified at the very thought. Many men longed for their sons to follow in their footsteps; Actor was not one of them, at least not in all regards.

In the small flat the four young men have rented, the glasses were lifted high in congratulations as Jorge DeArgustaro, Comte Cremasco, at least in title if not estate, announced with a broad grin, "he bought it, all of it. As mother has always said, he likes to think he is a gentleman, tries to behave that way, and as she has ALSO always said, a gentleman can be so easy to trap, just by appealing to his instincts. Why, can you imagine his dismay, his horror, at the idea of his son fluttering his lashes at those bejeweled aristo whores and whoresons, accommodating their every lust, whatever it might be? Though I imagine he's done his share of that and more, from what I've heard!"

"And you think he will come through with the money? Enough for what we wanted?"

Jorge laughed, "I believe he will come through with a great deal of money, my friends, more than we even dreamed! The guilt was rising off him like stink from a sheep."

Mickey laughed and raised his glass in another toast. "To errant fathers! Might we have had even more of them to be fleeced like that sheep of yours!" 

The lure had been dropped, and Actor, of all people, took the bait. As the con played out, one meeting after the other, including meeting his son's friends, his instincts fought a solitary battle - his intuition that he was being conned, and his guilt over the young man he never knew existed. 

Finally, there could be no doubt, except for how much of the highly-complicated and interwoven tale he'd been given, in dribs and drabs, was the truth and how much was pure fabrication. 

Finally, he could see the calculation in those eyes so like his own, could recognize in his friends the same sly manoeuvering and manipulation. Knew he was being conned. Well, it was his occupation, the con, and with the addition of Garrison and his teammates, he had an ever-broadening experience with the game.

And with that realization, that he was being conned, came the knowledge that this young man, his son, was making the same mistakes he had made, was perhaps headed for many of the same regrets. He might not have been there to help, not earlier, but perhaps now there was something he can do to prevent another young man from traveling the wrong path.

How could he bring it about, though? Would he be able to save the next generation, or was it that the next generation must save itself? His every fiber resisted the notion that he was just to stand by and watch, helpless to affect any change, unable to help give his son a better future than he himself had.

He'd finally been called to account for disappearing too many times when Garrison was looking for him, and most reluctantly explained just the basic facts - that he had met in London a son he never knew he had, and they had been taking the time to get to know each other.

Not so surprisingly, Garrison had been agreeable to him taking the time, "as long as you leave word where you are, so I can reach you if we get a job!"

He should also have expected the guys, Garrison included, to do a little research, but found himself angry and indignant when they did, and then confronted him with what they'd discovered. And none of them, except for Garrison, were overly diplomatic in the way they approached the matter, though perhaps that was a bit too much to expect as well. 

However, it was one thing to suspect, even know deep in your heart, that you were being misled and manipulated; it was quite another to have those so close to you throw it in your face, demand you face the facts as they saw them. 

His reaction, a sullen and indignant resentment, was indicative of just how much frustration he was feeling over the situation.

Casino waved his hands in the air, his own frustration level rising rapidly. "Hell, no, maybe I don't know what it's like to find out you've got a kid after all this time. But I do know when someone's running a con, Beautiful, and that kid's conning you but good!

Garrison interjected quietly, seeing the ever-rising rebellion and anger in Actor's eyes. "That's enough, Casino."

Chief shook his head, a heavy frown on his face. "No, it aint, Warden. Pappy's right. Actor's the best con artist I know, maybe, but that dont mean he's not on the taking end this time. He's just too close to it to see. Just like he's always telling us. You figure out what the mark wants - wants to see, wants to hear, wants to have happen. Then you put together a con that gives him all that and dangle it in front of him - just like fishing in a stream for a fat fish - once the con's in place, you just sit back and wait for the mark to grab the bait. Actor's so used to being the fisherman, he can't figure out this time he's the fish!"

Goniff was watching everyone anxiously, seeing the tension build, afraid Actor was just going to turn around and leave. So, yeah, the guys were right, their con man was being conned, but good. But Actor was hurting inside, tearing himself apart between what his instincts were telling him and what he wanted so desperately to believe. His first impulse had to be to distance himself from what he thought was causing the pain - the guys and their coming down so hard on this Jorge - not seeing, or maybe not wanting to see, the guys weren't the cause for the pain, just trying to open his eyes to the real cause.

Well, Goniff had been there a few times, knew that instinct to run; knew just as well that it wouldn't solve anything, not in Actor's case, since he'd be running from the wrong thing. It was easy to get mixed up about that. A couple of times Goniff had even run from the guys, from Meghada. He'd been lucky, though; they'd come after him and hauled his kicking and screaming self back home. He knew that if worse came to worse, they'd have to do the same with Actor. {"Cept 'e's a lot bigger than me; might not be so easy to 'aul back,"} he silently admitted to himself.

Actor snapped at them, his dwindling patience now at an end. 

"He is MY son. It is MY money, my property. It is none of your business if I wish to share with him what I have!"

Casino and Chief started in, only to stop when Garrison issued a hard "I said that's enough!"

He turned to Actor. "They're not saying it is any of their business if you hand over money to him, Actor." 

From the looks on the other three's faces, there wasn't a general consensus of that, but he elected to ignore that for now, and continued.

"Not even if you hand over title to one of your properties, like you mentioned. Like you said, he's your son, it's your money, your property. But Actor, they're right about one thing. If you're going to do that, do it just BECAUSE he's your son and you want to. Do it with eyes wide open.

"DON'T do it because you think it's going to turn his life around; that would depend on him - you can't control the outcome.

"DON'T do it out of guilt and remorse; nothing is going to make all that go away - don't think that it will.

"And DON'T do it because you're sticking your head in the sand about the fact that he's conning you. Because he IS - you know that as well as I do, even if you don't want to admit it. 

The argument got wild and fierce, and they each heard more home truths, half-truths and some pretty nasty not-true-but-suited-his-anger accusations and comments from the Italian before it was over.

And in the end Actor did run. Well, it wasn't a run; the man was far too dignified for that. It was more of a stiff lipped, "I believe I require some time alone to think things through, Craig. I believe my leave is still in effect? I will return to the Mansion by the appointed time."

Garrison had reluctantly nodded, and the man was gone, and they were left arguing about what they should have said, could have said that would have made a difference.

Any one with an iota of common sense would have known they might as well just get on with their own leave, or failing that, return to the Mansion to wait it out. 

Of course, no one ever accused any of them of having an over-abundance of common sense, except perhaps for Garrison, and his supply seemed to be fading away the more time he spent with his wild-card cons. 

So they took turns keeping a discreet eye on their brooding teammate, as well as the young group of con artists. No matter what Jorge thought, they were NOT as good as the guys; talent is all well and good, but experience counted for far more than the young men yet understood.

The meeting hadn't gone well. Oh, Actor had the money with him, a considerable amount of money, and the deeds to one of the properties in Switzerland, as well as one in Portugal. He intended to give Jorge his choice of those two, though not willing to make book on whether they would be used by his son and the rest as a home, or sold for hard cash. 

But, no matter how hard he'd fought it, he knew Garrison and the guys were right. He couldn't go along with the con, though perhaps not for the reasons they'd given.

No, Actor simply could not allow his son to think he was so smart, so talented that he could fool one of the oldtimers at the trade. That would only lead to overconfidence, and heaven knows Jorge and his crew already had an abundance of that. Letting them think this had worked would only tempt them into another con, one perhaps also beyond their capabilities, and not everyone would be so forebearing, just let them go without retribution.

And that was exactly what he told his son, there on the empty veranda outside Marchant's summer cafe. No, it had not gone well. 

Oh, Jorge had grabbed the money, yes, fanned his thumb knowingly over the bills to determine Actor had come throught with what had been promised. He tucked it away inside his jacket along with the deed to the Portugal property, but the advice Actor had offered along with it had not been so quickly accepted. In fact, not accepted at all. Any more than the offer to help in some more long-lasting ways had been accepted, an offer to put him in the way of some friends who might provide a broader education that would prove beneficial. 

He hadn't meant Garrison and the team; he wouldn't involve them in this - hardly could after the way they had parted - and besides, what his son needed was something quite different. But it appeared that was exactly what Jorge thought he was offering, and the response was quick and hard.

The sullen anger was out in the open now, the anger Actor had felt under the surface all along but refused to see for what it was. Now there was no avoiding the reality.

Jorge jerked his head toward the three waiting at the corner for him - hard-edged Luis, sly and devious Mickey, Diego - all smiling ruthless confidence, just waiting for a signal to let go of that violence that was such an integral part of him.

{"They need a Garrison, someone to mold them into a team. No, perhaps they are already that, or becoming so; but they need someone to keep them within boundaries, teach them 'you go this far, but no farther'. But none of them have that potential within themselves, unfortunately, although Luis perhaps comes closest, and another like Craig Garrison is not so easy to come by."}

Jorge was near yelling now, and Actor could only hope no one passed by to overhear, perhaps summon the authorities.

"Well, I have friends too! Friends I can count on! I don't see your 'friends' here, do you??! And if they were really your friends, they'd be helping you get away, not helping your 'Warden' keep you trapped here! Helping you get yourself killed! 

"And what's more, I don't need you. I've done without you as a father all my life, remember??! I in particular do not need you to lecture me! You are here, in this cage concocted by your 'Lieutenant' because you were caught! Caught and too weak to break free! I do not intend to be caught. 

"I am better than you are at the game, old man, far, far better. My MOTHER was better at the game than you were! The next time they catch you, while you are rotting away in a cell somewhere, remember that. And I became better than you without any help from my 'father'!" that all coming out with a harsh sneer.

"And for your information, you were selected to be my 'father' not from passion, certainly not from love, but because you are so gullible! My Father, the Comte, had insisted on a bargain; Mother had to bear him a child within a certain time, and when it didn't happen with him, when her time was running out, she decided to 'stack the deck'! That is why she searched you out, for that reason and no other! Well, other than that you could have been a younger copy of my father in coloring and features; she speculated you might actually have been one of his numerous bastards, you know. You served your purpose and she satisfied the bargain with my father! You were nothing more to her than a rutting horse with the proper coloring and confirmation to provide her with service!"

In the end, there was nothing left to say, on either part. If either, maybe both, felt the frustration of that, perhaps that showed on their faces, but words had failed them before, would fail them now. 

Actor watched as the young man, his son, turned his back and walked back into the shadows from which he had appeared. Blackness filled his spirit, wondering how many of the same mistakes, the same wrong turns his son would encounter. Wondering if his son's 'friends' would be there for him when he needed them, or if they would disappear along the way, as had so many Actor had thought were friends. Or perhaps turn on him, as had been the case more than once as well.

{"Or will he turn from them, walk away in foolish anger, breaking the bonds of friendship out of stubborness and sheer stupidity, as I have now done?"} thinking of the four men he'd so recently thrust away from him, the unforgiveable words he'd spoken. 

It wasn't easy, knowing you had thrown away family for the sake of one who might be blood, but was not family, perhaps never would be.

He didn't know how long he would have stayed there, oblivious, in the chill darkness, wondering if there was more he could have done, should have done to make the young man understand you don't have to make EVERY mistake yourself to learn from the experience. Wondering if he himself had truly learned that, since he kept making mistakes again and again. 

Perhaps he would have stayed til morning's light. Except for that low voice coming from so close to his side to jar him from his grim thoughts.

"Ei, Actor. Don't place too much nevermind on that 'being caught' business. True enough, sure, but that's w'at life is, more often than not - being caught in one trap or another. Some we're born in, some we walk into later on. Some of our own weaving, some not. Traps may look the same, may look different, but we all 'ave to deal with them some time or other. 

"Important thing is to learn the difference between a shelter, a safe 'arbor, you might say, and a trap, and that aint always so easy, and you can make some ruddy bad mistakes not knowing the difference there. Could end up running away from the only safe place there really is, cause you couldn't tell the difference.

"Fact is, don't place too much on any of w'at he said; he's pissed, and 'urt, and scared; that makes you say things you might not otherwise. I should know; I've said some ruddy stupid things myself at times. 

"Give 'im time, Actor. I think maybe 'e 'eard you, enough to get 'im to thinking, later if not now. The rest, it's up to 'im, you know. Even if you'd known, been there from the get-go, would still be 'IS choice."

The words were spoken in a sad, almost-whisper, but he heard them, understood, could only pray they were the truth. 

{"Of course, the day when I think to take advice from Goniff is a sad day indeed,"} he told himself, though thinking the words had been remarkably wise for how he usually viewed the little Cockney.

To cover just how rattled that thought made him, he proceeded to thoroughly scold Goniff for following him. It went UNSPOKEN that Jorge was wrong about at least this one man, perhaps the most unexpected one of the lot, since he was here, wanting to help however he could, even after the vile words Actor had thrown at him.

{"Or perhaps not so unexpected. It's just Goniff - mother henning, as usual, whether we say we want him to or not."} 

The words he DID start to say died away as Casino filtered in from the side, Chief from the shadows beyond, and there, half a block away, he saw a familiar figure - Garrison - standing, waiting.

The Lieutenant made his way forward then, smiled slightly at the shocked expression on Actor's face, put out a hand to clasp one strong shoulder tightly, just once, before letting it drop away.

"I'm sorry if we intruded. We . . . " and his voice died away.

{"How do you tell a proud stubborn man that we were concerned, that we care, without offending him even more?"}

Casino broke in, not feeling the need for such niceties. "Look, Beautiful. We need a drink. Been waiting too damn long for you already. Your choice, Silks, maybe The Jack Tar. I'd vote for Maggie's, but we're still on his shit list."

Chief snorted, "you mean YOU'RE still on his shit list, Pappy. Anyhow, we don't want The Jack Tar; aint in the mood for any new bruises, not with Odellinn waiting for us."

Actor blinked, frowned as that sunk in, along with the fact that they were ALL here, not just Goniff. {"He was wrong about that, too, it seems. Well, so was I, thinking they had turned aside after I lost my temper with them and walked away.}

"Odellinn? Why . . . ?" He hadn't been expecting that, the private retreat of the Clan O'Donnell. Well, one of them, anyway; he expected they had numerous.

Goniff snorted, "ruddy 'ell, Actor! Cause we was invited, that's why!!"

At least they had been after Goniff had made that hurried call to Meghada, telling her all that had hapened, what they planned to do about it, asking the favor, ("once we kick 'im in the arse, get 'im 'eaded in the right direction,") getting her reassurances in turn.

"Since w'en do we need a special 'why' to get in some quality time with Dolores and Reynaldo taking care of us? You get offered a treat like that, you smile, nod and put a 'ustle in your step before someone changes their mind! Come on! We're expected! Bet there's even a late supper waiting for us!" blissfully ignoring the reminders from the others that "we just ATE two hours ago, Goniff!"

They all knew, at least the four of them, that the last members of the team (unofficial, at least as far as the Powers That Be knew, but still staunch members of the team) were waiting there too, very aware Actor wouldn't have wanted them to see this encounter, while Actor was - as Casino so elegantly phrased it, "shoveling his personal shit". 

They'd stayed away, considering his feelings, but they'd be there waiting, Lynn Garrison and Meghada, waiting to offer what they could in the way of comfort, solace, a little poking and prodding to keep him from brooding overly-much, maybe a good slap upside the tall Italian's head - you know, whatever they felt would do the most good.

A slow smile, not a big one, mind you, but at least the start of a smile crossed Actor's face as he looked around at the rest of his family, his brothers. After all, what was it they'd supposedly told Rascal, the French Underground leader, on that job to rescue him and Craig - "a family is formed in many ways, perhaps even more so in wartime". 

He felt the warmth start to drive out at least part of the cold left by the feelings of guilt, remorse, futility.

"Yes, do let us avoid any more bruises. Perhaps Goniff can intercede with Maggs to get him to allow us re-entry to his establishment sometime in the future, with the provision that we will tie your hands and only uncover your mouth when you are actually taking a drink, Casino. But for tonight, perhaps a very brief visit to a certain quiet establishment where I believe I can procure a couple of bottles of excellent brandy, and perhaps even one of drinkable whiskey for us to take with us. And I am certain Odellin has bourbon in stock, the good kind that Meghada and her family prefers. I see no reason to linger anywhere else, do you? And I, for one, did NOT eat two hours ago, so Goniff and I will partake of that late supper, even if no-one else elects to join us."

The others nodded in agreement with that idea. Tonight wasn't the night for a possible bar fight, or for a casual hook-up. Tonight was about giving their very annoying, very superior teammate, their brother, a strong circle of support. Whether that involved sharing a glass of brandy, a game of chess or cards, perhaps a discussion of some of that high-flown literature he had such a liking for, maybe even an good healthy argument about whether photography could really be considered art - whatever it took, they'd see he got it.

Garrison was the one who broke the silence, urging them on in the direction of the car. 

"Then, Odellin - I believe a safe haven in the comfort and company of family is perhaps what we all need. And, I warn you, Actor, Meghada will be there, AND my sister, so prepare yourself. Though it won't be all bad, I guess. I think I heard that there's a new book waiting that's right up your alley, some lucky find in the used-book bins at the open market," the Lieutenant offered with a smile. 

{"A 'lucky find' after how many months of fruitless searching after he mentioned that rather obscure title with such longing? He may annoy Lynn every bit as much as he does the guys sometimes, but she has just as much a soft spot for him too."}. 

He considered that a moment and gave a rueful smile, {"as much and maybe more so."}. 

There had been a time when that would have appalled him, the thought of his sister looking at ANY of his guys with more than sisterly interest. 

Now? Maybe he'd wonder if she was up to the considerable challenge of keeping them out of trouble, but that would be the only hesitation. 

Well, except for Goniff. Goniff presented enough complications, (though Garrison was damned sure that was the wrong word, though he didn't have a clue what the right word might be), without Lynn getting any ideas there. Though his sister was a smart one, could read the handwriting on the wall as well or better than most, especially when it was written in huge red letters - would know that their Cockney pickpocket already had as much on his plate as he could handle, with Meghada. 

{"And with me, since I'm finally admitting some home truths to myself! And if he DOESN'T have enough on his plate, I'm sure Meghada and I can see to it that he DOES! And Odellin is just the place for that as well!"} smiling a little in anticipation.

Goniff glanced at Garrison, frowning just a bit, confused at that look he'd just gotten. 

{"Wonder w'at the 'ell 'e's thinking! Aint like I'm gonna get into any trouble at Odellin! 'Ope to blazes 'e aint just got a wild hair, thinking to get another job lined up! Better not be anything too challenging if 'e does; don't need a new project. Got enough to deal with Actor right now!"}. 

Somehow, though, it didn't seem like THAT sort of look - either the one warning him to be on his best behavior, or the one that promised explosions and dare-devil exploits. No, it was a much more personal look, and that thought was enough to make him return that look with a rather arch questioning one of his own, one that make Garrison develop just a hint of a blush.

Actor watched in amusement, then coughed lightly into his hand, "ah, Craig. I believe we were headed to the car?" snapping their leader back to the present, while Actor tried not to laugh.

Actor glanced over to where Chief and Casino were squabbling about just why it was or was NOT Casino's sole responsibility that they'd been banned from Maggie's, catching only the tail end of Chief's deadpan assertion.

"Yeah, Pappy. Guess you're right. I'm the one who tried to shuffle Maggie's daughter off in the corner. I'm the one with a weakness for big-chested blondes. I'm the one assigned to keeping you all tucked in and your pants zipped. Yeah, that's me, alright. Guess it really was mostly my fault," accompanied by a easy shove to the safecracker's shoulder in reproach at Casino trying to share the blame when there was no sharing justified.

Actor hid a bit of a smile. {"Yes, family, and as interesting a one as Meghada's in their own right."}. 

It was a remarkably good feeling, that concept. {"Family"}. Perhaps, someday, he might count truly Jorge in that number, perhaps not. Blood did not necessarily make a family, but still, he DID have a family, no matter how unconventional and unlikely they might be. 

Perhaps, against all odds, Jorge might find his own someday; might even find his four companions from the shadows indeed WERE that family, as unlikely as that would seem.

{"After all, I would never have thought these men would become family to me. Perhaps he will be as lucky as I. I can only hope for that."}


End file.
